Off Sandwich, MA – June 24, 1956

On the evening of June 24, 1956, a flight of three F-94 Starifre jets left Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, en-route to Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts. When they arrived at Otis they encountered poor weather conditions, and Otis tower held off their landing. As the F-94’s circled in a three-jet formation, two of the jets ran out of fuel and crashed into the sea.

The pilot and radar observer of one jet were rescued after they bailed out over the ocean. The pilot of the second plane was not recovered. (His aircraft did not have a radar observer aboard.)

A Coast Guard helicopter out of Boston taking part in the search and rescue operations crashed in Boston Harbor where it encountered thick fog upon its return. Two crewmen were rescued, a third was lost.